The present invention relates to a water saving automatic valve, and more particularly to a novel water saving automatic valve which can remarkably reduce amount of electricity consumption and can be operated for a long time by a battery.
Conventionally, a water saving automatic valve which is provided at a tap or a urinal etc. and can supply or close water automatically comprises a solenoid device opening and closing a water line, and a sensor. Therefore, when a user gets his/her hand near to the tap or the user stands in front of a urinal, the sensor detects this and the solenoid device is operated automatically. Accordingly, after a predetermined amount of water is supplied, the water supply is cut off later. The solenoid device is connected to a diaphragm in the housing of the automatic valve and closes a water line, and the water line can be opened and closed by the diaphragm being moved back and forth by the solenoid device.
By the way, because the automatic valve uses common voltage of 110V or 220V, there is danger of electric shock as well as a problem that it cannot be used in case of power failure. Accordingly, an automatic valve is required which can operate the solenoid device with a battery even in case of power failure. However, because water pressure is constantly put on the water pipe where the automatic valve is provided, the diaphragm must be pressed by a spring in order that it is not removed by this water pressure. Accordingly, in case of pulling the diaphragm and opening the water line, because electricity must be constantly supplied to the solenoid in order to keep in position against elastic power of the spring while the water line is opened, there is a problem that the automatic valve like this cannot be operated for a long time with a battery having limited amount of voltage.
And, in this automatic valve, the sensor may be a photo sensor, and this photo sensor emits light from its light emitter by electric power, and if the emitted light is reflected by a user, the photo sensor receives this light by its light receptor and detects whether there is an object or not. However, because this photo sensor must be supplied with constant electric power in order that its light emitter and light receptor may be operated constantly, as described above, there is a problem that the automatic valve like this cannot be operated for a long time because a battery has limited amount of electric power.
The invention is intended to resolve the problem described above and so the object of the invention is to provide a water saving automatic valve which can remarkably reduce amount of electricity consumption and can be operated for a long time by a battery.
According to an aspect of the invention, in a water saving automatic valve which is provided at water pipe and supplies water or blocks water, there is provided with a water saving automatic valve comprising a housing 4 which has a water line 2 inside and is connected to the water pipe, a motor 14 which is provided at the housing 4, a battery 20 which is connected to the motor 14 and supplies electric power, a screw shafts 8, 10 which are connected to the motor 14 and reciprocate with rotating, a diaphragm 6 which is connected to the screw shafts 8, 10 at the middle of the water line 2 of the housing 4 and opens or closes the water line 2 according as the screw shafts 8, 10 reciprocate, a sensor 50 which is connected the battery 20 and has a light emitter 50a as well as a light receptor 50b and controls the operation of the motor 14 by detecting approach of a user, and wherein the sensor 50 is operated in a certain pulse section because the light emitter 50a has a pulse generator 51 which is connected to the battery 20 and outputs a pulse and a bias controller 54 which is connected to the pulse generator 51 and transmits bias voltage synchronized with the pulse to the light receptor 50b, and wherein the motor 14 is operated according to signal of the sensor 50 and the water line 2 is opened and closed according as the screw shafts 8, 10 are moved back and forth.